• Cedric Diggory | World Cup 

 ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ・☽ ༓ ☾・  ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶  ̶̶̶̶

Hermione could feel the wind knocked out of her as she was shoved outside the stream of panicking crowds. She tripped over her feet, falling back against a tent, curling in on herself as she tried to avoid the stampede of feet. The fumes of fire and burning fabric suffocated the air, the thrumming chants of the Death Eaters underlying the panicked screams of everyone fleeing for their lives. 

She climbed to her feet, looking around wildly for Ron or Harry. But the crowd blended into a sea of heads, and not even their distinct red hair could help Hermione find the Weasleys at this moment.  She could feel the fear begin to rise like bile to her throat. 

She had no idea where to go. 

She couldn't apparate. 

She was muggleborn. And there were Death Eaters terrorizing the camp.       

Hermione felt a firm grip close around her arm, yanking her out of the way of the crowds. She almost screamed as the person dragged her down a small slope into a ditch, away from the people- away from the witnesses. 

"Let. Me. GO!" Hermione flailed blindly, the panic well and truly set in. 

"Granger!" A familiar voice grunted as her elbow met his ribs. "Stop- it's me." 

She stopped struggling to look back in surprise. "Cedric?" She cried incredulously. "What are you doing?" 

"What are you doing?" He reprimanded her gruffly. "Those Death Eaters are not a joke, and you're the most famous muggleborn of your generation!"   

"I know!" She bit out. "I was separated from the Weasleys. And Harry. I have to find Harry!" She exclaimed, jumping to her feet as she realized the danger her best friend was in.   

Cedric jerked her back down without preamble. "No. At this rate you're more likely to find a Death Eater than Potter. We need to get you out of here."   

"But-"  

"Granger," he tugged her to face him, his hazel eyes burning into her intensely. "I know you're used to herding your boys, but you're still a child. This is not a game. Aurors will be here soon, and for all you know Potter is still with the Weasleys." 

Hermione ground her teeth in frustration. Like she didn't know the danger they were in? She almost lost her life to one of Harry's perilous adventures every bloody year! But now was not the time.       

"What do we do?"  

"We get you to the portkey," he said firmly.  

"What about you?" She asked in concern. 

"I can apparate myself," he waved off. "Don't worry about me." 

"Okay," she nodded shakily. "Let's go." 

Cedric narrowed his eyes on her, noticing her trembling hands. He reached out, twining his hand with hers. "You'll be fine. I promise." He vowed, pulling her up as they climbed out of the ditch and followed the path towards the clearing. 

They hurried along, hand in hand. The crowds were thinning out, most of them herded away by groups of Death Eaters. They stopped in their tracks as the tent nearest them burst into flames. They stumbled back from the wave of heat, Cedric protectively pushing Hermione behind him. They kept running, heading for the portkeys. But as they ran, the chanting got closer and closer, echoing through the air. Hermione could no longer tell where it came from. 

She froze, jerking Cedric to a halt just as they glimpsed the ominous black hoods of the Death Eaters from a distance. 

"Shit..." Cedric muttered, his hand tightening on Hermione's. 

As one of them spotted the pair, the figure moved towards them with alarming speed, wand raised threateningly. Cedric pulled Hermione behind one of the charred tents. 

"What do we do?" Hermione asked in panic. 

"Shh," Cedric warned, pulling her close as he cast a muffliato on them. She shivered as she felt the magic of a disillusionment charm wash over her like a waterfall. 

They waited with bated breaths as the wizard's footsteps neared, the crunch of charred belongings piercing the silent anticipation under his boots. He paused his perusal, laughing cruelly. 

"You think I can't sense your magic?" He called out. "Come out, come out. Or don't. It'll only be more fun when I find you." 

Hermione tensed, and Cedric's grip on her arms tightened. 

"Alright, so here's what's going to happen," he spoke in a hushed urgent tone, despite the muffliato. "I'm going to go out there and distract him, and you need to make a run for it. The disillusionment charm will hold for a while longer, so just get to the portkey as fast as you can. It's just over that ridge up ahead- in the small nestle of trees." 

"I'm not leaving you!" Hermione insisted. 

Cedric sighed, his head dropping to hers in exasperation and a tinge of fear. "Look Granger- I'm a seventh year and a pureblood. They likely won't attack me, and even if they do, better me than you." 

"I won't leave!" 

"Hermione," he gritted his teeth, shaking her by the arms. "I'll be fine, just get yourself out." 

Without waiting for her affirmation, he pushed her away, towards the abandoned rows of charred tents where she could easily weave her way towards the clearing unnoticed. He took a deep breath, stepping out from around the tent as he released the charms on himself. 

"Well, well, well," the gruff Death Eater observed. "Aren't you a Diggory? Blood traitors, the lot of you," he spit out. 

"And proud of it," Cedric taunted, keeping his attention occupied. 

"Proud, are you? We'll see how you feel after a few rounds at the mercy of true power." 

A jet of red light burst out of the Death Eater's wand, and Cedric lunged aside to dodge it. He knew he wouldn't be able to block a Cruciatus curse. Especially the well-practiced one being thrown at him. 

"Stupefy," he yelled, watching as the spell narrowly missed the Death Eater when he deflected it at the last second. 

"Such a child," he sneered. "Crucio."  

The well-placed curse broke through his hasty shield, too powerful. Cedric dropped to his knees, screaming as he writhed from the blinding pain firing through every nerve in his body.  

"Petrificus Totalus!" 

The sharp pain ended as suddenly as it came, leaving a throbbing in its wake. Cedric opened his eyes to see Hermione running towards him. 

"Cedric! Are you alright?" 

"I thought I told you to leave," he muttered, struggling to rise to his feet. 

"And I thought I told you I wasn't leaving you," she said, helping him up. 

"Bloody glad you don't know how to listen, Granger," Cedric smirked weakly.

"You took a Cruciatus for me," Hermione looked at him in awe. 

"I'll be fine," he insisted. 

They continued towards the portkey, Hermione supporting Cedric as he stumbled every now and then from the after-effects of the Cruciatus. They finally broke through the small shelter of trees where their portkey was supposed to be hidden. 

"It's gone," he groaned. "Why hasn't it come back?" 

"They probably shut them down," Hermione exhaled sharply, looking at him in fear. "What do we do now?"      

Cedric looked at her, torn. "I've never apparated anyone else. And after that Cruciatus..."  

They stared at each other, their hair matted to their temples from the heat of the fires, soot covering their clothes as they heaved in one breath after another. 

"Then you should apparate yourself out," Hermione gulped. "Get help." 

"I won't leave you here," he echoed her words. 

"We have no other choice," she whispered, her voice breaking. It wasn't like she wanted to be trapped here. 

He studied her for a moment before stepping into the circle of her personal space, making her inhale sharply as the heat from his body hit her. 

"Trust me?" He held his hand out to her, his voice velvety smooth as his eyes rested on her in a calm resoluteness. 

She looked at him for a moment of indecision. She wouldn't have made it this far without him. Slipping her hand into his, she nodded once. "I do." 

He gently tugged her into his embrace, his grip on his hand tightening as he prayed to Merlin he didn't splinch them. He turned, both of them disappearing into a vortex. They didn't land smoothly- Cedric lost his footing, and Hermione fell forward, landing on top of the seventh year who rescued her. Cedric groaned, feeling the ache in his body as he hit the ground. Hermione froze, feeling the hard planes of the boy under her.  

"We're alive," Hermione exhaled in relief, looking down at him as she held herself up on her elbows. "We're alive!" She laughed. 

"More than just a pretty face, you know," he told her teasingly as she scrambled off him with a hint of a blush. Or perhaps she was just winded? 

She offered him her hand, helping him off the ground. "Clearly," she smiled. "Though you've got that going for you too." 

Cedric raised an eyebrow in surprise. He'd heard of the infamous Hermione Granger- he'd heard the stories and rumors. He hadn't expected her to tease him back. Then again, he hadn't expected her to take down the Death Eater either, despite the stories he'd heard of the young witch's impressive magic. 

"Hermione!" Ginny called out from a distance. 

There was a buzz of relief as the Weasleys made their way towards the witch. Hermione spun around, looking at the approaching group. She turned back to the seventh year, who she'd only talked to for the first time today in four years. 

"Thank you," she whispered gratefully. "For getting me out of there." 

"Thanks for coming back for me," he grinned at her. "We saved each other." 

Hermione smiled, stepping away from him as the Weasleys approached. "Bye, Cedric." 

"I'll see you around," he corrected. "Hermione."